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software developer at Intel who recommended I get out from underneath a tangle of overhead cables. Last week, four people got electrocuted when a cable fell on a bus.
The sidewalk, though, is placid compared to the roadway. Cars, buses, pedestrians, mopeds and rickshaws weave erratically down the streets. Nine hundred cars get added to Bangalore's roads every day, locals point out, and to get a driver's license, it's not unknown for people to make an under-the-table payment to a driving school that will certify they have passed a road test. Six hours after arriving, I witnessed a pedestrian get mowed down by a moped. What should be a 15-minute ride can take an hour.
Street signs don't offer much help either. Signs have a corporate sponsor--Broadcom, Texas Instruments, Hutch (a local cell phone carrier). What they often lack is the name of the street, making getting lost one of the regular pastimes. One of the big intersections in town, for instance, is where Brigade Road crosses Brigade Road. "I never understood that," said Mashood, an engineering student I met on the street.
One of the better billboards in town, sponsored by 3M, lists traffic infractions. Anyone caught "using a shrill horn" gets fined 700 rupees ($15)--which is to say, everyone.
At work, subtle differences in corporate culture abound. Indian resumes, for example, can run five, six or even 10 pages--and that's for a 24-year-old.
"It might include the elocution contest that they won in grade school or what they did in the Boy Scouts," said Supratim Sakar, manager of strategic marketing at Wipro and an Indian native who will transfer to the United States soon. Wipro gets around the issue by forcing applicants to fill out its own condensed form of accomplishments and abilities.
Sick days abound. Employees take the day off when they are sick, but also to take care of a sick wife, aunt or other relative. "Here, family comes before work," Hamra said.
In addition, workers generally stroll in between 9 and 9:30 in the morning, just ahead of the tea break, Eugenis said. Later, lunch is followed by a ping-pong break.
The most difficult adjustment of all for many Americans, expats said, is getting a straight answer. Asking a bank attendant where the ATM is might get you information about how to open a new account instead. When Hamra asked for a light switch at a hardware store, the owner said, "Ah, you need lightbulbs." The word "no" is almost unheard of.
Still, despite all the hassles, Hamra admits that he and his wife will likely extend their two-year stint--something he hadn't preponed.
Biography
Michael Kanellos is editor at large at CNET News.com, where he covers hardware, research and development, start-ups and the tech industry overseas. He has worked as an attorney, travel writer and sidewalk hawker for a time share resort, among other occupations.
See more CNET content tagged:
Bangalore, Wipro Technologies, India, Taiwan, South Korea
hence:
preponere; pre (before) + ponere (to place, put)
In the article, you appear to mistakenly associate "prepone" with
"prepare".
Alright, prepone is bad. But the way americans use momentarily takes the cake.
Another beauty, my American schoolmates here would ask "So India is in Asia? Nah, its got to be in the Middle East!"
>> I have lived all my life in Bangalore and I know Brigade road intersects with many roads but never with itself. Who sold you this tripe?
However, what we must remember is that this booming Indian economy is primarily the work of the Private Sector(aided by favorable government policies)
The Private Sector by its nature is limited to a certain sphere of influence. When we talk about the basic infrastructure in India, I agree that a lot needs to be done to improve it. But then the onus of doing so lies essentially on the government! Of course the local companies can pitch in, but there is only so much they can do.
The fact that India, and Indians, are able to excel in spite of these teething problems is a true depiction of their spirit to fight and prove themselves on a global platform. It definitely is a case of NOT India shining, but Indians shining!
Maybe the westerners can learn a thing or two from the Indian Attitude!
cheers
Main Entry: prepone
Part of Speech: verb
Definition: to place in front of, to schedule for an earlier time; cf. postpone
You must be living in a small hamlet in Florida...time to explore the world...The world is not just US...
Sure prepone might be a true blue English word, and momentarily may make you tear your hair off...but I think that's just the point. India and US are as different as peach and pear. This article was directed at an American audience and I honestly don't think it was derogatory. Why else would 'Hamra' want to extend his two yr stint - something he hadn't planned - not preponed :)
And its not the problem of shopkeeper; how many languages do people speak in the US? and how many are spoken in India? the author should have been aware of the linguistic basis for the division of states in India. How many languages can you expect a normal shopkeeper to know? But nobody appreciaes the fact that the shopkeeper tries his best to communicate with his customers using his broken or whatever English.
Well, I think it goes on... so let me hold it on...
Wonder whether the writer of the article even knows that these languages exist?
In any case, in Bangalore schools and streets you are not in danger of being gunned down by some deranged teenager.
Like most of my friends and colleagues, I pay their drivers less than the 10000 he quoted, more like 4000-5000 rupees/month. But I'm not sure that the few drivers that are lucky enough to use their lord's internet connection will stumble across this piece and demand a raise.
And I just read a news article this week in Bangalore where a kid got shocked but not killed from a fallen wire, and I have read numerous stories, in the past two years, where people have been killed from electric wires. Traffic deaths ARE way up (Bangalore buses killed almost 100 people last year), and the pollution is supposed to worse than Delhi now.
Writer William Dalrymple - who ived in India for many years - states than some are oversensitive regarding comments about their culture. I think that can be applied to most nationalities, but I agree with Dalrymple in that I think it is more prevalent here in India.
Lighten up....the writers won't paint such a rosy picture when the doom of the boom makes Bangalore go bust.
-Mohan
http://www.garamchai.com/mohan
I think this is a good article in light humor. Having lived in both countries for extended period of times I can relate to the differences in perceptions. I think those who are lambasting the author for exagerating need to cool down. Like someone else said on this forum - Indians need to lighten up. I second that. yes I'm Indian. Yes I grew up in India. And yes from an American/Western perspective it does appear that "there is a high danger of being electrocuted by a power line". When was the last time you ever heard of someone being injured injured by a fallen power in the US ? The only trouble is the unaccostomed reader may may exaggerate it. Bangalore/india desparately need to upgrade its infrastrucure. Yes - one day I hope to back in India/Bangalore to help with the effort.
I think we should see the positive side of human nature. The people in USA were so very helpful. The fact that India gets projects is because of the quality of work being done here. I dont think Americans would want just cheap work and no quality. The work quality is excellent here and getting it cheap is a bonus. So enjoy and appreciate the cake!
- Easier way out
- by suchikapillai June 20, 2006 5:09 AM PDT
- I think that the entire concept of 'educating Indians about the ways of corporate America' is futile excercise. It would be much more feasible to instead train the "wave of Westerners" about the basics of bangalore culture. An Indian is equally lost in bangalore for the first time. It simply calls for the most recently updated maps to be kept handy.
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